Mexican intellectuals ask for future coalition governments

A group of influential academics, politicians and intellectuals has begun pushing the idea of coming up with an unprecedented coalition government for Mexico in an effort to solve the nation's spiraling social problems, including the rise of drug-related violence and political polarization.

In a statement published Monday in Mexico's leading newspapers, 46 influential figures urged the government to come up with election reforms before next July's presidential race.

Among those who signed the statement were author and novelist Carlos Fuentes, former leftist presidential candidate Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, academic and politician Juan Ramón de la Fuente and sociologist José Woldenberg.

"If there is not a party that wins a majority in Congress or captures the presidency, then there should be a coalition government based on an explicit, responsible and controllable platform, which those who sign on will be in charge of," the statement said.

The proposal has received positive responses from the leaders of most of Mexico's political parties. José Francisco Blake Mora, the presidential secretariat minister to the current leader Felipe Calderón, said the proposal for a coalition next year is a good idea but added that there should be a possibility for a second voting round. Blake Mora also insisted that there isn't enough time to come up with reforms to change the law by next year.

"It is always good for communities to express themselves and offer proposals. I tend to think that if we are going to talk about coalitions or common agendas, we should allow for a second presidential round before coming up with them," he said.

Enrique Peña Nieto - a contender for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), who is seen as a favorite to win the presidency - declined to comment on the proposal, saying that his political team has asked him not to speak just yet about governmental reform. "I will discuss the possibility of a coalition at a later date," he told the Mexico City daily El Universal.

According to many political scientists, Mexico is suffering from an institutional and social crisis brought on by the ongoing war against the drug cartels. More than 40,000 people have died in drug-related violence since Calderón began a military offensive against the cartels when he assumed office in 2006.

Santiago Creel, a senator from Calderón's conservative National Action Party (PAN), says that he thinks that a coalition government might help the country.

"There is a lot of frustration among citizens," he said. "The Constitution should include the possibility for a coalition government and whoever wins the 2012 race can opt to form one."